Car-coupling



(No Model.)

F. A. WESTBROOK & W.. S. COOK.

GAR GOUPLING. No. 402,877. Patented May '7, 1889.

'EZSTI Hess/E5- I .21 we 111 275.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK A. \VESTBROOK, OF PORT JERVIS, AND WVINFIELD S. COOK, OF MID- DLETOWVN, NEW YORK.

' and WINEIELD S. Cook, of Port Jervis and .CAR- COUPLlNG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Application filed July '18, 188B. 7

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be 1t known that we, FRANK A. VVESTBRO OK Middletown, respectively, in the county of Orange and State of New York, have inyented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Oar-Couplings; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eX- act description'of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make'and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

Our invention relates to an improvement in automatic car-couplings; and the objects of our invention are to form a shoulder or extension upon the inner end of the knuckle or coupling-head for the purpose of closing the opening into the draw-head to keep out ice and snow, and to prevent the look from being injured by the old form of coupling links, and to limit the distance that the knuckle or coupling-head shall open outward by means of a pin.

Figure 1 is a'plan view, partly in section, of a car-coupling which embodies our invention complete, the knuckle being shown in one position in solid lines, and in another position in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a detached View of the coupling-head or knuckle alone. Fig. 3 is a front View of the coupling, showing the flanges and grooves. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section. Fig. 5 is a detail view.

A represents the draw-head, which will be made of the form shown, and B the knuckle or coupling-head. Inside of the right outer corner of the draw-head is formed a suitable recess, in which the rounded inner portion of the coupling-head fits, and in the upper and lower sides of the draw-head are formed the circular flanges D, which fit in corresponding grooves E, made in the knuckle or couplinghead. These grooves and flanges are formed on a circle, of which the opening through which the pin F passes forms the center. The flanges D are preferably formed upon the inner side of the draw-head, and the grooves are formed in opposite sides of the coupling-head; but these parts may be re= versed, if so desired, as we do not limit ourselves to anyexact construction in this re=- Patent No. 402,877, dated May '7, 1889.

Serial No, 280,276. (No model.)

cause the head to open when left free to move by means of the spring G, applied to its lower end.

Heretofore in car-couplings of this nature the whole strain was brought to bear upon a pivotal pin, and in case this pin was either lost or stolen the coupling was disabled and of no further service until the pin was replaced.

The one great trouble with these pivotal pins is,'that they get bent or injured from buffing,

and then the draw-head cannot be operated.

By our construction the strain is taken entirely from the pivotal pin and the flanges are made to receive the whole strain both of buffin g and the draft.

The pivotal pin F is flattened on its sides, as shown, and the opening H through the coupling-head corresponds in shape to the pin, so that the head will be made to turn with the pin whenever it is left free. to do so. To the lower end of this pin F is. secured a spring which causes the coupling-head to fly open as soon as it is left free to do so. The openings I through the draw head, and through which the pin passes, are shaped as shown, so that the inwardly-turned projections or points will catch against the opposite flattened sides of the pin, and thus limit the distance that the coupling-head B shall open outward. This pin F, as above stated, serves to keep the coupling-head in position, to throw the head open when it is left free to move, and to limit the distance that the head shall open.

Formed upon the head B is the extension or point L, which completely closes the opening into the front end of the draw-head, so as to keep out snow and ice, and in the rear of this extension L is formed the shoulder or projection N, which is curved upon its outer side, and in front of which the front end of the locking-lever O catches for the purpose of locking the head when closed. This shoulder N also forms a support upon which the front end of the lever rests when the head is open, instead of dropping down into the bottom of the draw-head, as would otherwise be the case. The end of the lever resting upon this shoulder simply drops down in front of the shoulder Nwhen the head is closed, so as to lock it in that position. The locking-lever is pivoted at its rear end in the rear end of the drawhead, and has an extension, P, formed on its edge, which extends through an opening in the bottom of the draw-head, and

to this extension an operating lever or cam is to be applied for the purpose of operating the lever from one side of the car; also, operating in connection with this operatinglever is the lifting-pin Q, by means of which the lever can be raised at any time for the purpose of releasing the coupling-head, either to separate the cars or to set the head ready for coupling. This operating -pin is to be used in case the operating-rod, which extends to the side of the car, becomes injured, as is so frequently the case. On the upper end of this lifting-pin is formed a head or flange, so that when the pin and the couplingdever have been raised the pin can be turned around so that the head or flange will catch over the top edge of the chamber U, which is formed in the upper part of the draw-head, and into which the front end of the locking-lever rises.

No claim is made in this application to the circular flanges in the front end of the drawhead, and the coupling-head provided with corresponding grooves, for this is conceded to be old.

Having thus described our invention, We claim- 1. The combination of the draw-head, the coupling-head placed therein and provided with the point or extension L, and the shoulder N, with a locking-lever pivoted at its rear end in the draw-head, and which has its front end to rest upon the shoulder N when the coupling-head-is opened, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the draw-head provided with an opening, Lshaped as shown, through its frontend, the coupling-head, the pin F, having flattened sides, and thespring which isapplied to the end of the pin,substanti ally asset forth.

In testimonywhereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK A. WESTBROOK. WVINFIELD S. COOK.

Witnesses:

HENRY WV. WIGGINS, AARON J. HORNBEOK. 

